a different kind of burger

It's officially summertime, and what is better to eat in the summer (other than ice cream) than burgers. There is something so unique about the method of grilling food that just can't be beat. I love grilling veggies, corn, burgers, even fruit! I absolutely love having a bar-b-que in my back yard at home, or going to grill in a local park in New York. Almost all parks in New York City, except for Central Park, have designated grill areas where you can bring your own portable grill (very cheap to purchase!), you should definitely check it out! Here are a few pictures of my friends and I grilling in a beautiful park in Morningside Heights. If you haven't grilled in the city, you should give it a try. It is so incredibly beautiful to spend an afternoon grilling and enjoying your friends' company.

corn and buns, on the grill

pineapple

But back to burgers. I love burgers. And I know, being a vegetarian can limit my burger options, but it also motivates me to try new recipes and make my own burgers. I absolutely LOVE veggie burgers and salmon burgers. You will definitely have a salmon burger recipe to read about up here soon, I promise. The great thing about veggie burgers is that you can make any type of burger you want. I've made pure veggie burgers, chickpea burgers, even portobello burgers, but one thing I've never made is a quinoa burger. So when one of my most fun and adventurous friends to cook with, who was coming over to cook the other night with my roommate and I, suggested we make quinoa burgers for dinner I leaped at the opportunity. Sometimes you just can't get outside to grill, but using fresh summer ingredients can still make your week night burger's something delicious.

The recipe below is based off of a recipe my friend found, but that we tweaked to work for us. I promise you, this are seriously delicious, and 100% gluten free and vegetarian. Plus, they have awesome flavor. The ingredients that go into these burgers jive so well when combined, that veggies and non-veggies alike will love these. They came together easily, and we made a delicious fresh salsa to top them off. You have got to try these!

burger, with a twist.

Qunioa Burgers and Orange Mango Avocado Salsa

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
1/3 cup shredded cheese (whatever you like would be delicious here)
1/4 cup fat free cottage cheese
2 medium carrots, grated
1 patty pan (or summer) squash, grated
1 large egg
1 1/2 tbsp rice flour (or gf flour mix; regular all purpose flour would work here if you're not making the recipe gf)
1 green onions, diced
1/4 tsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (we used basil, mint, and oregano here)
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan, over medium heat on your stove
Using your hands, make a small-medium sized ball of quinoa, an flatten it until it is about 1/2 inch thick
Place the burger into the pan and press your thumb into the middle of the burger, just a little, to allow for even cooking
Cook on one side for 4 minutes, or until the side of the burger starts to brown, and then flip, cooking the burger on the other side for 4 minutes as well (a little longer if you really like them browned)
You should be able to make about 3 at a time in a pan (we had 2 pans going at once), and the recipe will make at least 8-10 burgers
Remove from the pan, top with your salsa, and enjoy!



2 riped avocados, diced
2 medium oranges, peeled and diced
1 large mango, peeled and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (we used mint and basil here)
salt and pepper to taste

yum.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss together until just mixed
Serve over your quinoa burgers, or on their own
Enjoy!